Charles b



(No Model.)

0. B. MORE-TON.

TOY.

Patented Jan. 26, 1886;

Trice.

ATENT CHARLES B. MORETON, OF MOSOOIV, OHIO.

T O Y.

SP.ECIFICA'IIO1\T forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,885, dated January 26, 1886.

Application filed March 23, 1885. Serial No. 159,752. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. MoREToN, of Moscow, in the county of Olermont and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Toys for Ghildren,which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a perspective view of my improvement in toys for children.

The present invention relates to an improvement in toys for children, consisting of a pair of vertical supports having a series of steps or notches out therein, within which I place a series of inclined planes having grooves on their upper surface hinged together and placed upon the said rack, so that marbles placed in the upper of these inclines will roll downward from one to the other until they drop into the receptacle in the bottom, all of which will now be set forth in detail.

In the accompanying drawing, A and B are a pair of vertical supports, having bases 0 of any convenient form or size. One of these supports is designed to be somewhat shorter than the other, and to have a series of steps, the upper faces of which are provided with notches D. The opposite support isdesigned to be higher than the other, and is also pro vided with a series of steps,within which are notches. This larger support is designed to have an additional step and corresponding notch, as will be noticed in the drawing. Resting within the notches of each of these steps I next provide a series of rails or bars, D, having \l-shaped grooves in their upper faces. One of these rails or bars D, I place within the recess at the upper end of the highest support; thence extending to the opposite support I connect with it another corresponding rail by means of a flexible strap, E, secured to the opposite side of each of the rails, and that the balls in moving from one rail to another in its downward passage may not stop or clog up I cut the ends of the rails somewhat circular at the ends, so that the said strap E may be semicircular in form. This flexible piece or strap E may be formed of any desired material-as, for instance, leather, rubber, veneering, or metal-as found most convenient. These strap-pieces being secured at their ends to the side rails by means of a bolt or screw,

F, permits of the rails being somewhat hinged. This second rail, G, inclines downwardly from the lower end of the rail D and rests upon the step of the larger support,where it again connects with the returning downwardly-inclined rail H by means of a strap-piece, I, similar to the strap-piece E. Any convenient number of these inclined planes may be provided, though I prefer to have the lower end of the last rail connect with the highest support. The upper end of the rail D is provided with a raised surface or rim, J, so that the marbles may be placed therein more readily than without this attachment. The lower end of the last rail is designed to be provided with a boX, K, or other suitable device, so that the marbles, having passed down the incline, will not roll over the floor, and at the same time they can be more readily transferred to the receptacle at the top of the incline.

In order that the parts of the structure may not readily become detached from each other, I provide a series of openings, L, within the end of the incline resting within the notch of the step, and a corresponding openingthrough the said step, and a pin or bolt placed therein secures the rail to the upright,which prevents theparts from becoming detached when thrown over or in any way disarranged. It is evident that any convenient number of these inclines may be provided.

I am aware that a series of inclinedtroughs have been constructed and united similar to mine; but in former devices the inclined troughs were rigidly secured to the posts one above the other,whereas in my device the inclined troughs are simply hinged together and laid in a series of notches, which supports them, and which facilitates the ready removal and folding into a small space of the whole device. I therefore disclaim the broad idea of a series of inclined troughs; but

XVhat I claim is- 1. In a toy for children, a series of grooved rails hinged together at the ends by means of a semicircular strap, the upper incline being provided with a raised rim, and the lower incline being provided with a catch-receptacle, the series of rails resting within the recesses on upright supports, said recesses being inclined backward in form of a series of steps or stairs,-substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination of a pair of supports,

each having a series of steps provided with 5 notches arranged like stairs, each succeeding one back of the one in front of it from the base up throughout the series of notches, to

receive therein the ends of the inc1ines,with

the series of notched inclines secured together 10 at the ends and fastened to the uprights by means of pins, the whole arranged as and for the purposes substantially as herein set forth and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, this 5th day of 15 March, 1885, in the presence of witnesses.

CHAS. B. MORETON.

Witnesses:

S. H. (humans, J. 0. LOVE. 

